Yes You Freakin' Can: Be Better Than You Thought Possible When You Most Need To Be

By Trevor Lynch

Stress and pressure can make it difficult to achieve incredible results when you need them most.

 

It's hard to be confident when your brain is pointing out all your flaws and inflicting self-doubt. You may find yourself shrinking and staying in your comfort zone.

It's time to give the performance you are capable of. Overcome your fear and accomplish much more, by getting your subconscious to work with you, rather than against you!

In Yes You Freakin' Can, Trevor Lynch shows you how to surpass the mental boundaries that limit your amazing capabilities, and be better than you thought possible for life, work, and love goals and challenges. Filled with emotional stories, empowering wisdom, and reflection activities, this how-to guide will have you tapping into the incredible potential of your higher self and will kickstart your journey towards a more confident and resilient you.

You're about to uncover:

• How to give yourself more "likes" and boost your self-esteem with your unique Wow List.
• A two-minute technique to master your mindset, get in the zone, and achieve your desired outcome.
• The power of gratitude, positive energy, and other proven techniques for building resilience against surprise challenges.
• How to boost your confidence and show up better than you have in the past.
• Strategic life breaks, a must for focusing on what milestones to aim for next...and much much more!

For anything from a job interview, a life challenge, or a sports competition, to speaking in front of people you're intimidated by, anywhere from the meeting room to the bedroom, this book will get you to be better than you thought previously possible, right when you need it most.

Get Yes You Freakin' Can now and get ready to surpass what you thought you were capable of.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trefle Rebels
• Release date: Feb 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9782958061326

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

We sat at our bedroom window in the Bellagio Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, mesmerized by the breathtaking view of the water fountains dancing to the rhythm of the music and light show outside. The mockup of the Eiffel tower across the street looked life size. It was a hot evening in early July, and still the strip was full of tourists like us, trying to soak up the ambience and all the other crazy stuff this city had to offer.

This was possibly the last vacation I would have with my two beautiful daughters, Alexia and Malorie. They were both grown at this point, aged 18 and 20, and I wanted it to be special and memorable. In addition to seeing Vegas, we stayed with one of my childhood friends and his lovely family in LA, rented an American SUV, cycled the Manhattan Beach boardwalk, strolled around Beverly Hills, took in the craziness of Venice Beach, and hiked up to the Hollywood Sign.

On the surface, things couldn’t have been better. Under the surface, it was a completely different story.

Sitting at that window, thoughts crept in about the virtual interview I had lined up for the following morning, for a team coaching role based in Switzerland. It sounded really exciting, and it was something I was looking forward to.

If only the timing could have been different. I was feeling torn up inside and lost as to what the future would be like. My girlfriend of two years had just left me, and my manager had just recently informed me that my job would be disappearing at the end of the year, being moved to a lower-cost location. On top of that, around the time I was informed about my job loss, I had just signed the papers to sell my house to a neighboring restaurant owner, so I wouldn’t have a place of my own in a couple of months. Without a job, I wouldn’t be eligible for a house loan, and I’d have to go back to renting again, something I promised myself I would no longer do. My self-confidence was low, and I felt empty inside. Each of these events was challenging by itself, but all three combined had my head spinning and unfocused. I love my daughters dearly, and I wanted to be close to them, so I didn’t want to be forced to move far away for another job.

Sitting in silence, I asked myself: How can I get focused on tomorrow morning’s interview, which could open up exciting new possibilities in my career? How can I get into the best possible mindset for this great opportunity, which will also allow me to stay close to them?

Have you ever wished there was a magic formula for overcoming the stress or pressure that arises when you need to perform at your best? Have you ever struggled to overcome internal doubts that cause your mind to focus on everything that could go wrong? It could be right before a big presentation, a job interview, asking someone special out on a date, or just before the start of a sporting event. Your brain unexpectedly makes you more aware of your flaws, you doubt your abilities, and your confidence plummets. As a result, you leave the event feeling like you could have done better. If only you could have been your best self, that more confident and radiant you who would have smashed this.

What would it mean for your self-esteem, career, relationships, and future if you could always show up exactly as you wanted or needed to, in order to maximize your chances of getting your desired outcome? Imagine the impact if you could, like a light switch, turn on your best version of you, almost at will, with only a few minutes of preparation. Think about it for a few seconds.

Part 1 of this book will show you how to set specific intentions for how you want to show up and get your subconscious to work with you, rather than against you, to make it happen. When done correctly, the techniques will not only get you to your best, but can also help you exceed what you believe you are capable of.

What about when you are going through a rough patch or when life knocks you down and you need to get back to a positive energy place quickly?

Life has a habit of throwing challenges our way that test our level of resilience, our ability to bounce back strong after being knocked down. Part 2 of the book will focus on how to best prepare for this, as well as how to not only get back on your feet but become a better version of yourself as a result of the experience.

Following the exercises contained in each chapter will help you get through some of life’s most difficult moments and bounce back stronger.

Part 3 of the book focuses on what to do after getting yourself to a better, stronger you in Parts 1 and 2. It includes taking a strategic look at all areas of your life, realizing where you are now on the journey, and deciding what you will focus on next to have more balance and fulfilment. The beauty in your life will be more visible, and you will be more focused on creating more memorable moments for yourself and those you care about.

I’m confident that this stuff works! I’ve tried every technique in this book, both on myself and with others. I’ve taught and coached people from all walks of life, who used these strategies to achieve their goals, outperform their expectations, and strengthen their self-belief and resilience.

Some used them to give incredible presentations despite having a debilitating fear of public speaking due to a past experience, while others used them to score from a very unlikely position in a match, speak up at important meetings, be confident and composed in job interviews, succeed during an exam, have more confident first dates, perform better in the bedroom, and stand strong and keep advancing in the face of life’s challenges.

The techniques are so simple and so effective—yet most of us are unaware of them because we were never taught them in school and may not have encountered them in our professional lives.

I became aware of these techniques several years ago, when I was looking for something to help me become a better version of myself, after life threw several difficult challenges my way. I researched all I could find from authors, coaches, and life strategists on how to do this, and I designed what worked best for me and the people I’ve coached and taught. I’ve tested, experimented with, and refined these techniques for easy and effective application in this how-to guide.

It is my honor to have the opportunity to assist you in taking your belief in what you’re capable of, your self-esteem, and life quality to the next level. My promise to you is that if you practice the exercises that work best for you, from those I have included in the following chapters, you will move the needle on what is possible for you in life.

It was the morning of the interview. I sat on my bed in the Vegas hotel room, wondering what I could do. My daughters, asleep in their beds, were oblivious to my dilemma. They didn’t need to know about it. It was my stuff to deal with, and up to me to find a solution. I was looking inside of myself for inspiration. Again, I wondered: How can I get my mind in the right place to have a great interview? Finally, it came to me. The answer lay in what I often do to get myself in the zone for an important event. How could I not have thought of that? The stress related to those challenging events caused me to lose focus and not think of it until now, the 11th hour.

In the silence of the early morning, I got to it and ran through a couple of targeted visualizations and affirmations to mentally prepare for the interview. After all, worked for me in the past in almost all challenging situations where I knew the outcome I wanted in advance.

This got me completely in the zone, just when I needed it. The interview went precisely as I had imagined it would go. Or, rather, I behaved exactly as I had visualized in my mind’s eye.

I was composed, focused, and strategic in my communication. So did you get the job? I hear you ask. I didn’t, and it was OK. I interviewed really well, and there was someone else who had more relevant experience for that role, someone I know, in fact, and I was really happy for her.

Initially, I did feel a level of disappointment that I wasn’t selected and went through a period where I was somewhat concerned about what I would do next. However, my positive interview gave me the self-confidence I needed, as did reframing the situation. My self-talk went from: How many more positions will I be turned down for? to I know that role wasn’t for me. There is something better out there—more suited to what I do best and what I want to do more of.

I have since been proposed a role in the same organization, and I’m happily continuing to work in the field of people development.

A few weeks after returning from Vegas, the buyer pulled out at the very last minute. I didn’t have to move. Concerning my ex-girlfriend, I adopted a mindset of gratitude. I realized that we spent valuable time together but there was someone else out there for me who would be a better match. I just needed to continue my path until I found her.

What worked best for me through this challenging period are some of what we’ll cover in the chapters ahead, including Targeted Visualization, focusing on my Wow List, gratitude practice, creating my Victory List, using strong affirmations, reframing, and bouncing forward.

Okay, are you ready to do some of this in your own life and expand what’s possible for you?

CHAPTER 1

Where Are You at Right Now?

"It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that things are difficult."

— Seneca

Vincent, a very competent and well-travelled marketing professional, in his mid-forties, was passionate about tennis. He had been playing for a few years and was winning friendly tennis matches in his club on a regular basis but couldn’t win a single match in any open competition. He was becoming obsessed with finding out how he could turn it around. His tennis coach and fellow club members told him to persist, and that the more tournaments he entered, the more used to playing in competition he would be, and the wins would come. It sounded like great advice, but nope, that didn’t do it for him. He then changed his racket for a heavier one, on advice from more seasoned players, but to no avail. Next, again, on good advice, he had a warm-up game just prior to commencing the upcoming tournament match, and still the same result. He lost one more time to a player whom he believed he was capable of beating. He considered the possibility that the other players who had beaten him were just better than him, but he was certain that wasn’t the case. He became very frustrated with his situation and was convinced that his problem was psychological.

He was right. It all came down to his mindset. He desperately wanted to win his next match in order to boost his confidence, self-esteem, and the respect of his teammates. Finally, Vincent won, not just his next tennis match, but the entire tournament, and he’s still doing it today. All down to a few simple and effective techniques that flipped his mindset and had him show up and perform at his best.

What’s challenging for you?

Vincent almost stopped competing in his favorite sport, believing that he wasn’t made for it. How about you? What is it that’s challenging for you? For Vincent, who is successful at most other things in his life, it happened to be tennis.

Consider what it would mean for you, your self-esteem, and certain areas of your life if you could raise the bar on how you show up and perform, by 10, 20, or 50 percent with some simple and effective techniques. Before we look at how you can accomplish this, first select a tangible challenge for you to apply this to. Where in your life do you want to put your best foot forward, or go above and beyond what you currently believe you’re capable of?

What stressful challenge or goal do you have in your personal life or career right now, or that’s coming up soon? The stress related to your challenge may be due to a past bad experience in a similar situation, or the fact that it’s something new for you, or that the stakes are high, or because this type of event or challenge feels outside your comfort zone at the moment. Typical challenges I’ve seen include…

Making an important presentation or speech

Going on a first date

A job interview for a long-awaited career move

A sports competition

Speaking up in a meeting with senior managers / stakeholders / customers

Spending that first romantic night with a new partner

Starting a new job

Looking to make a great first impression

Taking an exam for a professional qualification

Being confident in certain settings or with certain people

If you don’t have a challenge in mind right now, ask yourself what you’ve always wanted to try but keep putting off, because you’re telling yourself all the reasons why you can’t do it or be it.